Seven days of Pure Michigan: Day 1

If you had one week to explore Michigan what would you do? It’s a tough question considering all that the state has to offer but we tackled it just the same. For those visiting Michigan or those looking to discover new destinations here is a bucket list sure to keep you busy during the week. Check one off and move on, or enjoy each Michigan adventure at your leisure.

DAY 1Discover Michigan’s underwater world

If you head to the water in any direction chances are you’ll find scuba divers exploring that which lies beneath the surface. At the Great Lakes Dive Center in Shelby Township (www.greatlakesdivecenter.com) there’s always an adventure in the works.

Over the summer divers will meet at Port Sanilac Marina. There they’ll board a ship headed to the site of the North Star wreck, a 300-foot freighter that sank in 1908, after colliding with sister ship the North Queen in heavy fog. Among the highlights of this site is the ship’s huge triple expansion engine, sitting perfectly upright and intact along with her twin boilers that fell to the starboard side during sinking. Divers report that both are impressively large, and the faces are fully exposed for easy observation. Another popular wreck for underwater explorers is that of the Dunderberg, located off the coast of Harbor Beach Marina. The 187 foot, three-mast schooner had sailed the lakes for only 14 months when, on Aug. 12, 1868 it collided with the steamer Empire State, and sank to 155 feet deep. The Dunderberg wreck sits upright, intact and pristine. The bow displays a large windlass, both anchors and catheads. The thick railings are crowded with deadeyes and belaying pins. The open hatches invite exploration. Fair-sized sections of two masts remain in place and upright. Much running rigging lies on deck and off the wreck on the hard clay bottom. A highlight of this site is the ship’s figurehead: a carved alligator, jaw dropped, tongue protruding, each eye still glinting with a dab of red paint, plus grapes, birds and curled vines, clustered leaves and arched branches carved into the trim boards curving from the bowsprit.